Ukraine regains territory held by Russia since 2014

Ukrainian soldiers check their T-72 tank at a position in the Donetsk region Photo: AFP

Ukraine liberated the territory under control for the first time Russia since 2014, British intelligence officials said.

A small piece of land is located in the Krasnogorovka area, about 10 miles southwest of the city of Donetsk.

< p>The capture marks the first time since Russian invasion in February last year, when Ukrainian forces were able to reclaim land seized during the initial invasion of Donbas eight years earlier.

Ukrainian troops were reported to have liberated the land last week, but the news of victory is still kept secret for tactical reasons.

Ukrainian counter-offensives move overseas 2014

“Ukrainian airborne troops have made limited gains east of the village of Krasnohorovka, near Donetsk, which is on the old Line of Control,” the British Department of Defense Daily Operational Briefs said Tuesday.

«This is one of the first cases since the February 2022 invasion that Ukrainian forces have likely recaptured some of the territory occupied by Russia since 2014.»

A representative of the Ukrainian military said that the land was recaptured during a “well-prepared assault.”

“There were initiations of actions, support for artillery and heavy equipment. They also cleared mines in certain areas,” said Valery Shershen, spokesman for the Tavria Defense Forces.

“For us, this has a symbolic meaning”

He described the Ukrainian offensive as «unexpected» and said that Russia fought hard to push the Kiev forces out of the newly captured positions with daily assaults and massive artillery shelling.

«This has a symbolic meaning for us, a fundamental moment and some improvement in the tactical situation,” the spokesman added.

Volodymyr Zelensky with a soldier during a visit to Donetsk region. Photo: AFP

In his overnight address on Monday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was a «happy day» for Ukraine, but did not reveal specific details of Kiev's advance.

< p>«Our warriors have advanced in all directions, and it's a happy day. I wished the guys more days like this,” he said.

In 2014, Russia illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula, and Moscow-backed forces took control of parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions bordering the Russian mainland.

Mr. Zelenskiy vowed to end the war with Russia by reclaiming those territories and restoring Ukraine's borders, recognized during the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.